Software Engineering || Net-Centric Computing || Postdoc & Visiting Scholars
SABRE
Study on Requirements Engineering (RE), commonly viewed as the exploration of problem domain, is crucial to the software engineering task. On the other hand, study on Software Architecture (SA), often seen as the entry to the solution space, has emerged recently and attracted attentions of many software engineering researchers. However, to make the two inter-work synergistically is not easy.
Oftentimes major software errors or failures are caused by the failure in performing adequate requirements engineering in order to understand the "problem", which precedes many other software engineering tasks for a project. On the other hand, software architecture is equally critical as a major front-end task which serves to lay the foundation to provide a software solution. Requirements engineering and software architecture are closely interrelated and should complement each other. Unfortunately, many researchers often failed to treat the two in an integrated and systematic manner, resulting in principles and techniques that may not be fully applicable to the software industry.
For those who are aware of the existence of such a relationship, there generally lacks a complete methodology to bridge the process gap between the two. Software Architecture Based Requirements Engineering, abbreviated as SABRE, is the technology emphasizing on a systematic software process where requirements engineering and software architecture can be performed in a highly integrated manner. SABRE consists of a seven-step methodology where a layered architecture scheme, an object-oriented structured analysis and design technique called function-class decomposition, and a formal approach to scenario analysis are well integrated.
The SABRE methodology had been validated with the development of a Web-based conferencing system called M-Net. M-Net adopted a seven-layer architecture and through both functional and class decompositions the ultimate software architecture as well as functional requirements were successfully obtained.
The SABRE workbench, which is currently under construction, will provide an integrated environment for the development of SABRE projects. It supports function-class decomposition, partitioning of modules for use in a distributed application, as well as forward and backward scenario based traceability between architecture and requirements. Collaborative effort between geographically distributed team members is supported in a number of ways. The overall project workload is managed at a central on-line depository from where architectural components are checked in and out by individuals and teams. A real-time on-line conferencing facility supports team activities such as architectural design walk-throughs and other project meetings.
International Center for Software Engineering
Iowa State Univerisity, Department of Computer Science
226 Atanasoff Hall, Ames, IA 50011
1-515-294-4377 (Office) 1-515-294-0258(Fax) E-mail: chang@cs.iastate.edu
Copyright © 2002, Prof. Carl K. Chang
